Bolivar, Ranson citizens cast ballots in Tuesday elections

Hamill, Hardy declared victors in mayoral races

June 3, 2009

BOLIVAR - Citizens of Ranson and Bolivar went to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in each community's 2009 local elections.

In Ranson, it was a foregone conclusion as Mayor A. David Hamill ran unopposed, as did incumbent Councilman Keith D. "Duke" Pierson and Councilwoman Kim Biddle.

"I am very pleased to have been able to obtain the mayoral role that I have enjoyed for the past 23 years," said Ranson Mayor A. David Hamill, who received 34 votes.. "I look forward to continuing the process we as a city have been able to achieve."

Article Photos

A car in Bolivar is decked out in support of one of the candidates for election on Tuesday. (Journal photo by Edward Marshall)

Biddle received 34 votes while Pierson received 38 votes.

By contrast, the story was the opposite in Bolivar where 19 candidates vied for of mayor, town recorder and five council seats.

With the vote tally released late Tuesday night after polls closed, Hardy won handily with 221 votes.

"Well, my victory is for the town I love and the people that are standing before me," he said outside Bolivar's Community Center Tuesday after the vote tally was released. "They have been much more than friends. They have been dedicated and I love you all."

Moltere received 49 votes, while Whetsell had 37 votes cast in his favor by night's end.

The winner will replace outgoing Mayor Tim Collins, who was first elected in 2001. Collins had previously served on the council from 1997-2001.

Hardy, 68, has been in public service for the past 22 years as an elected member of the town council, which includes his four years of service as town recorder and four years as mayor pro tempore from 2005 to 2009.

"I will do the very best I can to serve this town with the best that I have," Hardy said.

Moltere, 65, was elected to the Bolivar Town Council in 2007. He is a former Prince George's County Sheriff's deputy and he later entered a 36-year career at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where he served as a supervisor. Following his retirement, he became a volunteer member of the Jefferson County Deputy Sheriff's Reserves.

Whetsell, a 54-year-old Republican, has been a biomedical electronics technician since 1979 and previously said he was running for mayor because he felt Bolivar needs a leader with knowledge of codes, legislative protocol, public safety and city management.

A total of 15 candidates ran for seats on the Bolivar Town Council, and only one incumbent retained his seat. The top vote recipient for the night was incumbent John Paul Heafer with 208 votes. Frank Donadio followed with 179 votes. Helen Dettmer had 164 votes and Victoria Eckert garnered 159 votes. David Kardok rounded out the top five with 137 votes.

"I'm very happy with the returns and I look forward to working with the people of Bolivar and my fellow people that we ran with on the town council," Donadio said.

Donadio was among a group of candidates who ran as a block in the election supported by a citizens action committee that included Kardok, Dettmer and Eckert.

"We ran as a group. We won as a group. I think that's a sign we did something right," Eckert said.

Dettmer said she wished to thank the citizens that supported the group.

"With their work, all things are possible. Here we stand tonight the new town council, so working together for Bolivar paid off," she said.

Heafer wished to thank everyone who supported him in his campaign.

"I will, like I always have, do everything I can for the town," Heafer said.